Balk? Coming to Set...

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

oh contraire
If you are straddling the rubber how can you possibly come set without first stretching?
When you are in the process of coming set, you are in your stretch.
If you are stretching and not on the rubber, I'd have to say that is a simulated stretch since it is not a legal one.

I think, Don, that you are using the terms "straddling" and "stretch" differently than I use them.

There's nothing wrong with straddling the rubbber (except during a hidden ball trick). Many pitchers do so before engaging the rubber.

There's also no requirement to stretch (raising the hands to or above the hands as they are joined, befiore dropping them the whatever position F1 comes set -- in front of the chest, or waist high, for example). Many pitcher just join the hands at the appropriate level.

Most often, these moves are separate -- engage the rubber, then come set. In the OP, F1 combined the moves. It's a violation of "shall have the hands separated when engaging" rule -- a rule for which there is no penalty. It's a "don't do that."

If F1 comes set while completely off the rubber (making the runner think F1 is on the rubber), then you can make a case for "making a motion associated with the pitch." That's not what happened in the OP though, as I read it.